After School Practice
by imoutokilla
Summary: Kevin hears something interesting about Edd, so the jock uses the excuse that he needs tutoring to get closer to Edd and hang out with him and surprise him with a celebratory night of drinking. Conflicted feelings, angst, drama, and a few sweet moments ensue.
1. Chapter 1

Morning practice was over, so the swim team dispersed to the locker rooms of their respective gender.

Edd stood in front of his locker and gently swung his arm across his chest in a tricep stretch. After a few moments, he released and stretched the other arm. His black swim cap was replaced by a standard black beanie. Methodologically peeling off his practice jammers, he pulled on his jeans and slipped his lithe body into a button-up shirt. Like most days, he also wore a skinny tie (a habit he had begun in middle school) and comfortable sneakers.

Though he enjoyed scholastic extra curricular activities or even just pursuing studies like entomology on his own, Edd was happy that he decided to join the swim team upon entering high school – this would be his third year. Over the summer break between 8th grade and high school, he had begun to research colleges as well as their admission processes and decided it was in his best interest to be well rounded in academics, athletics, volunteerism, and whatever else there was. He has always liked swimming, anyway. The chlorine made him feel hygienic.

A duet of "Hey, Edd," greeted him as soon as he exited the locker room to one of the school corridors. Both Ed and Eddy were waiting for him, one beaming and the other smirking a little more deviously.

While the trio now had separate hobbies and almost completely different class schedules, they were still best friends. "Why, good morning, Ed and Eddy," and he joined them on a walk to first period, a mandatory study hall that they managed to synchronize having in the same block. Ed and Eddy entered the library first, and just as Edd was about to turn the corner, a "Yo," accompanied by a hand on his shoulder, stopped him.

Still obsessed with cleanliness, the idea of anyone's squalid hands on his neatly pressed shirt drove him to compulsively swat the offender away. "Y-yes?!" he stuttered out of disgust, not nerves.

"Jeez, sorry, Double Dork." And it was Kevin of all people, sarcastically apologizing. "I just wanted to congratulate you."

"Indeed! I assume you mean getting my paper published or my victory at the robotics competition? Perhaps you mean to congratulate me on both? My thanks, Kevin," Edd smiled cordially.

Kevin cocked a brow. "Whatever," he rolled his eyes to punctuate how much he totally did not care, "I'm talking about becoming team captain."

"Why, yes, you are team captain of the football team and baseball team. Did you just become team captain for the basketball team as well?"

"No, you. Next year. Swim team captain. Didn't they tell you this morning?" Kevin's face was back to its expressionless state. "I heard you were good even back in freshman year, but I'm still proud of you, Dork," and he had already begun to pivot, saluting to Edd. Edd watched as Kevin curiously quirked his lips into an ephemeral smile. There was a smoldering of something else that Edd just couldn't place. "Well, see you around. I have chem next." He disappeared into the sea of upperclassman which dominated this wing in the mornings.

"God speed, Kevin! And thank you, although I have not the slightest idea of what you speak of," Edd trailed off. The bell would ring any moment now, he realized, stepping into the library, and all the science classes were on the complete opposite side of the school.


	2. Chapter 2

The warning bell resonated within the school.

_Oops, I guess they didn't tell him yet,_ Kevin thought to himself, moving through the crowd with ease. Many students smiled, at minimum, as he passed. A top athlete and alluringly reckless, among other magnetic qualities, Kevin was certainly a known name attached to an appreciated face (and body) at Peach Creek High.

As Kevin acknowledged the hello's of his peers, he came to realize that Edd was not unpopular either. In fact, the Eds as a trio as well as individually were quite known. Eddy was infamous for many reasons, and Ed had become a welcome member of the football team as well as a beloved class clown. And then there was Edd, the academic pride of the school.

Edd, that little double dork (okay, maybe not so little! Edd was maybe an inch or less shorter than himself), absolutely dominated anything science related. He was excellent in the literary arts too, as was apparent to anyone who ever listened to the loquacious student, but he clearly preferred the sciences. He conquered math league, science Olympiad, and anything else academic that he could throw himself into. Kevin heard Edd's name announced over the intercom in the morning congratulating him for something almost bi-weekly. It was even more impressive that Edd kept up with swim team in the winter season.

However, because Edd was inevitably attached to the other Eds, a lot of people, while certainly knowing them, chose to be reasonably distant. Cute girls, teammates, lab partners – most stayed away from the Eds to spare themselves from being swept up into their schemes, despite how rare they had become. A stigma had marked them in elementary school and had yet to leave. It made Kevin feel almost sorry for Edd. _Maybe I should like hang out with him or something_, he mused.

The halls were emptied now, except for Kevin and maybe a handful of other stragglers. When the final bell sounded Kevin shrugged to no one in particular. By the time he arrived at this chemistry class, he finally caught himself thinking heavily of the dweeb. _It's just because he's becoming the swim captain_, he convinced himself. He thought Edd would make a great captain, by the way, due to Edd's structured – no – compulsively orderly ways that would only benefit the team as long as he could be firm.

Kevin entered the classroom, the teacher pitching him an annoyed glare. Kevin didn't have immunity but a lot of teachers let his poor attendance, lackluster grades, and absence of participation slide. He made his way to the back of the room to his usual seat next to Nazz. "'Sup?" he asked under his breath, swinging his messenger bag onto the desk perhaps a little too loudly.

"Nothing much, Kev. She just said the chem test is next Monday. Better study," Nazz smiled her perfect toothpaste smile.

Kevin shrugged one shoulder. He produced his cellphone from his pocket, not at all listening to the teacher's lecture. Scrolling down his contact list, he surprisingly had quite a bit of entries to pass before even reaching the D's. When he found the entry he was looking for, he lingered on the name for a few moments.

* * *

The two Eds were hunched over some crude blueprint. Eddy was pouring over it while Ed was mostly just scratching his head at what was barely legible. When Edd took his seat across from them, Eddy looked up to Edd and smirked. "Double D, gotta show you something. Since you're going to become the swim team captain, I was thinking – "

"Halt, Eddy! I thought it was peculiar that you two came to collect me from the locker room after morning practice. What is this team captain rumor?" Edd had a slight, unintentional pout on his face.

"Oh, yeah, man. The rest of us were talking about it last night in front of Nazz's house. You had gone home to study or count ants or whatever you do. But Double D, check this out!" Eddy gestured to his rudimentary design. Beside him, Ed was just giving a thumbs up.

Edd conceded with a sigh. He would uncover this captain nonsense later. Leaning forward to view the blueprint upside down, he could already see so many errors an nonsensical pseudo-mechanics. He began to point them out to Ed, suggesting viable amendments when there was a buzz from his book bag. Curious, and because it was study hall and not class, Edd took his bag off the back of his chair and unzipped the front pocket. Systematically organized in the pocket: a protractor, a compass, graphing calculator, magnifying glass, and cellphone.

One new text message.

_Hey._

That was all that was written. The number was not from his contact list nor did he recognize it. Edd's face scrunched, momentarily, in confusion, before he put his phone back into its place, leaving the text unanswered.

"You see, Eddy, that part certainly cannot function – "


	3. Chapter 3

Friday rolled around, and before Kevin knew it, he was already done with basketball practice for the week. After changing back into his casual clothes, he found himself back in the school buildling rather than the parking lot. Pulling his phone out, he skimmed the new text messages and two missed calls. _That stupid dork still didn't answer me_, he half-growled to himself. For one reason or another, he wandered into the science wing, stealing peeks into each lab. In one of the last rooms, a tall and lissome shape was bent over a text that probably weighed more than the figure itself. A white lab coat, a foot or two of dark wash jeans, nondescript sneakers, and that ridiculous black hat – just who Kevin was looking for (but wait, since when was he looking for this loser?)

"Why didn't you answer my text, Double Dork?" and Kevin's tone was as vacant as ever as he came up behind Edd, who, as he now saw, also donned latex gloves and protective goggles. On a nearby table, two beakers and a few other scientific instruments were systematically arranged on paper towels.

Edd looked to Kevin briefly, readjusting his goggles in the process. "Which message are you referring to, Kevin?" he flipped forward a couple of pages.

"I sent it like Monday." Kevin was beginning to feel a little awkward or something like that. He was trying to justify standing here, sensing he was a bother all of a sudden, and a bother to a dork at that. He knew perfectly well that he could have asked someone else to do this favor for him.

"Come to think of it, I do not recall ever giving you my cellphone number nor do I recall receiving your phone number," and Edd brought his gaze back to Kevin, sounding a little perplexed.

Kevin, a veteran liar, suppressed the half-truth creeping up his throat. The dork would probably just psychoanalyze him into telling the truth anyway. "I got it from Johnny before," he mumbled.

"My apologies for not responding to you. Was there something that you required from me?" Edd's tone was naive as ever.

"Yeah, actually, I was wondering if you could help me study for the chem test I have on Monday. If I don't pass, I won't be able to play in the next basketball game. I know you're all smart and shit with science, so can you help me out a little?"

Shutting the textbook (placidly, mind you), "If this test is vital to your eligibility to participate in your game, why did you not seek me out more aggressively?"

Misinterpreting Edd and assuming he was insulting him, Kevin stepped into Edd's space, causing Edd to reflexively back himself up against the table (oh, probably subconsciously recalling Kevin's bullying back in their younger years). The jock was a breath away from his prey. "You want me to be aggressive, dork?"

"T-that was not my implication!" Edd defended himself, slipping to the side. Invasion of personal space and confrontation were equally undesirable. "But seeing as you only have three nights to study for this exam, perhaps it is wise to begin preparation now? On occasion, I grade assignments for your class, so am I correct in the assumption that your test is on chapters 9 and 10?"

Kevin grunted ambiguously, sounding as if he was tired of studying already. "I wanna go home, though. It's more relaxing to study there. Plus I can order food. You know, in thanks or whatever for you helping me out."

"It is certainly not problematic to tutor yo— "

"Whatever, dork. Can you clean this up already so we can go? I'll give you a lift, obviously," and Kevin watched as Edd obediently (perhaps something he developed as an only child or maybe as the engineer of the Eds) began to put the equipment away. Kevin took a seat on the adjacent table, watching and not helping one bit (besides, why should he when he could lap up such a view…?)

* * *

Trailing a few steps behind Kevin, Edd followed his new pupil. He was only now recalling that Kevin would be giving him a "lift" on a motorcycle and was feeling admittedly troubled about it. As they came upon the bike, Edd was clutching his book bag straps with white knuckles, definitely not releasing his death grip as he noticed that there was only one helmet.

"Chill. Home is less than 10 miles away. The highest speed limit is like 40 miles per hour, too. You wear the helmet," and Kevin shoved the black headgear into Edd's ever-tightening chest. "Come on, Eddy has put you in a lot scarier situations."

Edd, wide-eyed, wordlessly surrendered to that point, though his heart was insisting otherwise. While Kevin mounted the bike and started the engine, he fixed the protective gear over his head, triple checking how secure it felt. "How am I to be situated on this motorcycle?" his words muffled through the helmet.

"Just sit behind me and hold on, duh," and Kevin motioned for him to just get on already, which Edd did, albeit clumsily. Edd was never that coordinated, and while he did do well with swimming, he was not adept at many other physical activities. He began to place his hands on Kevin's shoulders, but then the athlete, disturbingly casually, repositioned them on his waist. "It's better to hold here. It doesn't mean we're engaged or anything, dork," and Edd_ felt _Kevin laugh as they slowly (thank the heavens) left the parking lot.


	4. Chapter 4

When they pulled into the driveway, Edd was still locked around Kevin's waist, his head tucked down and fingers interlaced. Instead of attempting to pry the boy's hands off, Kevin just gave him a gentle slap on the thigh. "We're here, dorko," he laughed, letting Edd dismount first. Seeming disoriented as soon as he got off the bike, Edd then struggled to take off the helmet, trying not to remove his trademark black hat in the process. By the time he finished, his pupil was already unlocking the front door. "Bring the helmet in with you, 'kay?"

Stumbling into Kevin's house, Edd stood in a daze (how adorkable) just inside of the entrance.

"Sit in the kitchen. I'll be right there," Kevin instructed, in disbelief that someone could be so frazzled by a little ride.

"Y-yes, Kevin," Edd answered, wobbling his way over to the kitchen table. After placing Kevin's helmet on the table, he took out his spare notebook, a pencil, black pen, red pen, eraser, and two highlighters from his back pack. With his arsenal of school supplies ready, he could only hope Kevin had his textbook with him.

Surprisingly, Kevin descended from the stairs with his textbook in one hand. In the other hand, he carried a decent sized bag of something. He tossed it across the table, and it slid into Edd. "You can have these," Kevin added, motioning to the bag.

Seeing them up close, Edd saw that it was full of jawbreakers. "Thank you, these certainly harken childhood memories. Now, let's get started," and Edd popped a jawbreaker into his mouth after cleansing his hands with pocket sanitizer. He then opened Kevin's textbook him to the appropriate chapter.

Two hours and three jaw breakers later, the night had consisted of Edd garrulously explaining the key points of chapter 9 and quizzing Kevin with simple mock problems to gauge whether or not he was grasping the concepts. Kevin appeared to be paying minimal attention, but he was making headway. Edd hypothesized that if they drilled chapter 9 that night, chapter 10 the next night, and reviewed both Sunday night, Kevin might actually do better than the rest of his general level class. Somewhere in the middle of this, Kevin had called for pizza delivery.

When the doorbell finally rang, Kevin jumped up dexterously, shutting the textbook. A minute later, he returned with the large pizza and 2 liters of soda. Edd had gotten glasses and ice for the both of them, but Kevin went back to the fridge anyway, returning with a 700ml bottle of hard liquor. He took the liberty of making a drink for Edd and himself before his tutor interrupted him.

"Kevin, that is hardly legal," he protested.

"Is that your problem with it, dork?" and Kevin cocked a curious brow, resuming mixing the drinks. "I don't think laws have stopped you before. Have you never had a drink or something?"

"Well, not intentionally or to the point where it is worth mentioning," Edd began, motioning something with his hands nervously, "and I must refuse, Kevin –"

"This is just in celebration of you becoming swim captain."

"About that, they have informed me that I am becoming the assistant captain and perhaps captain next year. I am not a particularly consummate swimmer; they have elected me into a leadership position for my competency in drawing up successful schedules, practice routines – "

"Stop being such a dork," Kevin interrupted him for the nth time, setting the tall glass in front of the _assistant captain_. He raised his own glass, "Cheers."

Curiosity finally ensnared him. He had never truly been presented with this kind of opportunity before, except for once last spring with the Eds and Eddy's older brother, but he had declined at the time due AP testing beginning the next day. Edd raised his glass. "Cheers?" and he downed the entire contents of his glass and grabbed a piece of pizza.

Compelled to match his guest's pace, perhaps by his competitive nature (oh, he did love to try to break records), he finished his own glass. The athlete took a piece of pizza for himself after fixing another drink for both of them. This time they were a little stronger. "Interesting," he remarked, surprised (pleasantly surprised, actually) that the dork had decided to join him.

They ate in a somewhat uncomfortable silence for the next ten minutes, but by then, the two boys were each at least a little tipsy and only losing touch with sobriety by the second. To be honest, Edd was a light weight both literally and figuratively. He finally cast his eyes up at Kevin, brow furrowed. "You have been quite mystifying this week," he threw out there.

"Uh, what? I just heard you were becoming captain, so you were like, on my mind when my teacher told me to get a tutor," and Kevin rubbed the back of his neck. He stood up and put his iPod in a stereo dock on one of the counters.

"Understood," Edd smiled, that stupid(ly adorable) gap flashing. "Either way, I must remark that I am in high spirits to be reunited with a childhood friend, if I may assume that our previous relationship resembled something akin to friendship." He poured the liquor straight into his glass, taking a straight shot. The woozy feeling it gave him was too intriguing. He was, in fact, jotting down his observations in that spare notebook of his. Kevin looked to Edd, noticing the little twerp's pale cheeks had taken a rosy flush.

Kevin turned up the music a little then grabbed the glasses and liquor along with a bag of chips he had rummaged from the pantry. He also brought two bottles of water. Managing to bring it all to the living room with no accidents, he asked, "Wanna chill on the couch instead of at this table? Fuck it for tonight. We'll study tomorrow."

"Only if you pledge earnestly!" Edd gap-toothed grin was pretty lopsided as he enthusiastically followed Kevin to the living room.

"I promise," the athlete sighed (was that playfully?) and readjusted his red cap. "Can you promise me something, though?" he ventured, setting their teenage provisions on the coffee table.

"Carry on," his tutor encouraged, taking a seat on the couch. Kevin dropped next to him, notably a little close (though not touching him by any means).

Kevin's eyes shifted to the dork, slits of emerald, insidious and (dare Edd read) imploring. "If I pass this exam, do you promise to watch my basketball game next week?"

Edd was kind of confused, "I am not certain that it will not conflict with swim team."

"It doesn't, you dork. I asked. So do you promise?" Kevin raised a half-empty glass.

"S-sure?" the other boy answered unsure of how his attendance at Kevin's sporting event would be any incentive for him to study harder. He clinked glasses. The warm and fuzzy sensations of being intoxicated were starting to fully envelop him. "If you intend to proceed in requesting favors of me, I have another to solicit."

"Shoot."

Edd laughed somewhat shyly, even with all the liquid courage. "Seeing as you are quite the Don Quixote, may I request courtship counsel? It would seem that the texts I have read on the subject have failed me."

Kevin's heart unexpectedly jumped...


	5. Chapter 5

The redhead narrowed his eyes trying to read and reread any hints that could possibly be embedded between the dork's lines. What a surprise, then that he confidently couldn't come to any conclusion except that the kid wanted relationship guidance. "Dorky, are you asking me for girl advice?" and he quelled his faltering nerves, sinking back on the couch and casting his gaze to the ceiling. Both of his arms rested on the back of the couch.

"Most certainly. While I am tutoring you in chemistry, perchance you may instruct me in wooing the fairer sex," Edd beamed, unabashed by his own request. His hand reached for his drink, but amazingly, Kevin stayed his arm.

"Slow down. I don't wanna clean up your puke tonight," he kidded, but he saw that it flustered his friend a little.

Edd stared at his lap suddenly, the flush in his cheeks less beverage-inspired and more a blatant sign of his growing embarrassment, "T-that is true. I cannot fathom how the chapter on a-alcohol consumption in my advanced manners manual just slipped my mind."

"No, it's okay. I just don't want you to get ahead of yourself. Drink some water first. But like you were saying, is there a chick you like or something?" Kevin asked, though he saw that Edd still hadn't raised his head. He half-smiled then poked him pretty hard in the forehead, causing him to look up. "Here, let's go outside for a sec. Tell me about her while we're at it." Before he committed to the motion, Kevin caught himself extending a hand to his friend. He played it off by giving Edd a pat on the arm. "C'mon."

When the novice tried to stand alongside the seasoned drinker (sadly?), he wobbled. "It is remarkable," Edd drew out his words, "that my center of gravity feels so off!" And Kevin, despite his inebriated state, reached out and steadied Edd before the poor kid fell back onto the couch.

"Yeah, I think you've had enough," he said, letting his hands fall from Edd's shoulders and turning to the door. "You can walk though, right?"

Edd only nodded and stumbled towards Kevin, eventually softly colliding into the athlete's broad back. Edd leaned in, laughing a little. "Apologies, Kevin!"

Rolling his eyes, Kevin opened the back door (lest the nosy neighbors see them in the front yard) and immediately took a seat on the first step. Edd followed, grinning drunkenly and sitting on the opposite end of the step. He shivered a little, shoving his hands into his pockets, but his smile was as wide as ever. Kevin watched Edd's breath plume in front of him for a little while before remembering his intentions. Taking out a cigarette, he patiently lit it before putting his hands in his own pockets.

"Oh dear, you smoke regularly?" Edd sounded pretty whiny. "Do you comprehend just how offensive those are to your physical well-being?!" He dramatically threw his arms in front of him. "Do you!?"

In response, Kevin took a deep drag on his cigarette (Edd watching and calculating his badass factor, which was growing exponentially, by the way) and courteously blew it off to the side, as far away from Edd as he could get without standing up. "Sorry for making you come out here with me then," and he tried to sneer but instead quietly came off as genuinely apologetic.

"I should return home in any manner. I have a great deal of housework to complete over the weekend, since my parents are out of town again," Edd remembered, mostly speaking to himself.

"Do chores tomorrow after you wake up and before you help me study more. Just sleep over tonight. I know you carry around a spare toothbrush and shit," Kevin told him, plainly. He crushed the butt into the cement step. "Let's go back inside," he added, getting to his feet before Edd could dispute it.

Back indoors, Kevin herded Edd back to the couch, tossing one of the water bottles into his hands. He didn't know what to say, but he knew that he didn't want the night to end just yet. Struggling for words, he settled with, "So about girls and shit, what exactly do you want to know? You never told me if there's a specific chick you like."

Edd, wholly liquored up, still wasn't emotionally prepared to verbosely entertain Kevin's questions. Obeying Kevin's orders to drink water, he swallowed half a bottle straight away before answering. "I do not harbor romantic inclinations towards anyone at this moment. While I am more than fulfilled by my intellectual pursuits, I cannot shake occasional prurient musings..." he trailed off, cheeks flushing scarlet once again as he pulled his hat over his face.

_Fuck, he's cute when he's embarrassed, even though I don't know what he said. _Kevin almost laughed as he asked, "Meaning?" He wanted to see Edd writhe a bit more (and also find out what prurient musings meant).

Disappointingly, all Edd did was shake his head, which had been fully swallowed by his hat.

"Stop that," Kevin growled quietly, grabbing the top of Edd's hat and wanting to yank it off his head entirely. Instead, he just tugged at it, pulling it up enough to reveal a single blue eye, Edd still clutching to the sides of his hat, trying to bring it down farther. "I'm trying to fulfill _your_ request or whatever, remember?"

"I just have thoughts, Kevin. Thoughts about l-love and related subjects," Edd stammered, closing his unshielded eye, trying to hide from Kevin's appraising stare. An enduring smile found its way back upon Edd's lips, despite everything else.

Kevin smirked at the double dweebs bashfulness. He could tell by the way Edd moved that he was drunk, but otherwise, he just sounded embarrassed and normal. "So you want a girlfriend? You wanna get laid?"

"That is partially correct. I do secretly yearn to experience courtship," and the thin boy drew his legs up to his chest, hugging them and speaking through his knees. His hat remained crooked, obscuring half his countenance. "However, I do not aspire to date someone I do not fancy just for the sake of dating."

"So you wanna date, and you don't wanna date someone you don't like, but you don't like anyone right now. Then what am I supposed to help you with? I don't believe that you don't got a crush right now," Kevin got up and went to the kitchen to change the playlist. If he had looked at Edd, he would have noticed the kid's conflicted expression. By the time Kevin returned to his seat, Edd had still not answered, so Kevin continued, leaning towards his guest dangerously, "Do you want me to teach you how to kiss or something?"

"What? No!" Edd jumped back, unable to articulate himself due to either the liquor or his mortification or both (did he imply that somehow? How embarrassing! Alcohol really did cause a loss in social inhibition). His movements were quite emphatic as he withdrew, arms drawn to his chest defensively.

"I was joking?" Kevin rolled his eyes. "Don't act afraid of me now. If I was trying to get in your pants tonight, we would've fucked hours ago." Kevin wore a reckless smile (looks like his inhibitions were lowered, too).

Edd finally straightened his hat. "Kevin! That is hardly appropriate! I –"

Kevin's lips crashed into Edd's, effectively silencing him. Kevin deftly reached up, catching the back of the the other boy's neck and pulling him in for a brief close moment. As soon as he had pounced on the unsuspecting dork, he released him...


	6. Chapter 6

**author's notes**: Firstly, thanks to the anon that told me I should change my synopsis. I re-read it and realized I was kind of _trying_ to ward people off from reading, since I am self-conscious about writing again. But yolo amirite. Also, I watched the EenE movie today. I can't believe Nazz got so jealous in it! She really did slap Kevin and throw his poor bike in a tree. I'm not going to lie to you - _a lot_ of drama is about to bust out, haha. And Nat belongs to c2ndy2c1d~

* * *

Groggy, Edd raised his wrist to eye level. "10 AM? I have not slept this late since that time I camped out with Ed and Eddy. Farewell, personal resume," Edd groaned quietly before quickly realizing the backdrop behind his arm was not a familiar one. "Have I misplaced myself once more or..." he softly ventured while he scanned the sports and music posters thumb-tacked to the walls. He cringed just looking at the clothes which littered the carpet which could probably use deep shampooing. _This is Kevin's room_, the boy thought to himself, rolling onto his stomach and burying his face in the pillow. _It certainly smells like Kevin,_ he added (and he thought that it smelled like the jock in a good way. Kind of like cheap cologne, laundry, and faintly cigarettes).

"Finally awake, huh?" The redhead materialized in the doorway, three bottles of water under his arm and a container of ibuprofen in his grip. Truth be told, Kevin himself had only awoken maybe 10 minutes earlier. He couldn't bring himself to look Edd in the eye, so he focused on whatever was outside his window. A tree or some birds or whatever.

"To be honest, I am struggling to recollect why I am dressed in yesterday's outfit in your bed," Edd mumbled, standing up. "I was tutoring you before I foolishly got intoxicated, so I must have gotten far too inebriated. I can't remember coming upstairs."

Kevin tried to toss him a water bottle, and while it was a legitimately good underhand toss, Edd failed to catch it (that uncoordinated dweeb). "Uh, so you don't remember shit? What's the last thing you do remember doing?" he spoke totally casually. Kevin hadn't forgotten anything, and his chest clenched at the memory.

Picking up the bottle, Edd meditated on what he could recall. After drinking a bit of water, he answered, "I suppose the final moment I recollect would be accompanying you outside for a cigarette."

_Good_, Kevin silently rejoiced. That meant there was a good chance Edd knew he promised to watch the basketball game but not how much of an amorous drunk his pupil was. "Yeah, we went to bed after. Well, you wouldn't lay down without making sure we both brushed our teeth, but after that, we both passed out," he partially fibbed. Edd had begun to rant about hygiene as soon as Kevin asked him to go to the bedroom.

"This terrifying memory-loss aside, I feel perfectly normal," Edd confessed.

Kevin still couldn't face his neighbor. He definitely wanted to Edd to cheer for him at the basketball game, but he was beginning to think that he wouldn't be able to concentrate if the dork continued to help him prep for his test. "Choice. Must've been all the water you drank. I wanna eat breakfast, so I don't know if you wanna join me or go home."

"I appreciate your proposition, but I shall retire to my own residence until the evening. Is 5PM a suitable time to resume studying? I have an engagement with Eddy and Ed I must attend to at 8PM, but 3 hours should be adequate," Edd smiled politely, and Kevin escorted him downstairs to the front door (though he refrained from bringing him home, as much as he wanted to).

* * *

A little before five, Kevin's doorbell rang, pulling him off of his couch. He hadn't really accomplished anything except lay there texting his friends, namely Nazz, Rolph, and Nat since Edd had left.

He knew who it was, so he didn't bother asking. "Hey, dork wh– " but Kevin cut himself off, as his doorway lacked the thin, sockhead tutor and instead there stood his conventionally beautiful, blonde neighbor.

"Nazz? What're you doing here, babe?" the redhead asked, genuinely confused, though his voice did little to portray more than his usual poker-face character. He had come a long way with Nazz, though. When they were younger (when he had been absolutely enamored with her) he was often guilty of being rude or speechless in her presence. Eventually, Kevin had the nerve to ask her to be his girlfriend, and that began the saga of their on-and-off relationship (though they have now been off for almost two years).

She giggled amicably, her perma-smile never hiding for a second. "Hey, Kev." She sounded so damned flirtatious (what was new?)

"I told ya that I gotta study tonight," he sighed, not moving aside to let her enter his house.

"By Double D, right?" The girl bit her lip, inquisitive and glowing feminine charm.

Kevin's patience was quickly at its end. "Nazz, I'm busy. I'm going to be kicked off the team if I fail this, 'kay?"

"H-h-hello, Nazz," Edd greeted her out of nowhere, stammering as he did in front of all pretty girls, especially this one. He awkwardly clutched the strap of his messenger bag, glancing over her head at Kevin. They both blushed and threw their eyes back to Nazz (but for different reasons, you see). "Have you convened here to prepare for the exam? Eddy would be disconcerted if he were to find out that I am providing services in exchange for no monetary compensation," he joked almost nervously (damn you, pretty girl).

After a painful conversation at the door, the three eventually made it to the kitchen table where Kevin and Nazz dutifully crammed under Edd's instruction until exactly 7:50PM. "I must depart now in order to arrive at Ed's home on time. You both will pass this exam, but please review independently on Sunday. If I do not run into you tomorrow, I will see you in school. Bonne chance!" Edd wished them luck in his quiet tone yet managed to still sound enthusiastic.

"Thank you, Double D," Nazz beamed, embracing him (for a few seconds too long). The boy's cheeks showed a hint of pink, and he left with all his belongings immediately and without escort this time. As soon as the front door was shut, Kevin's face whipped to face Nazz.

"Why did you come here, Nazz?" the jock nearly growled.

"You know I need the help more than you do," she answered ruefully. Her expression betrayed nothing, and he couldn't argue there, though he felt there was more to this situation than grades and convenience.

As the blonde gathered up her study materials, Kevin came to his own conclusions. "Yo, are you jealous or something?"

A glimmer of female petulance sparked in her expression, but she replied daintily, "No, don't be silly!"

"Remember that time you threw my bike into a tree, because you got jealous of her? And you even slapped me," Kevin threw the facts out on the table (dated facts, but facts nonetheless).

"Offensive!" she huffed, her cheeks puffing and brow furrowed. "I'm leaving if you think I'm here just to mess around!" and as quickly as Edd had left, Nazz stomped off, forsaking her own plan by making it obvious that she had shown up to meddle for motives yet unknown. Kevin, not too fond of bullshit, settled on phoning Nat to make last minute plans.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes: **To answer the anon question about when there will be fluff, the next chapter should make you happy! In fact, I have some lines written out for it already. I am also planning a smutty (heterosexual) one-shot between two characters that functions as a flashback for this story. As for Kevedd sexy time, while that may be several chapters away, I will continue to update daily or close to it, so you should expect it within the next week and a half… no promises, though. And I would like to apologize for any shifts in style. I like prose-style, but because I haven't written anything but essays for a few years, my own style has been escaping me. I'm trying to re-read my old work to feel comfortable again.

* * *

Even though Eddy hated Kevin, he insisted on going to the basketball game to scope out the cheerleaders (in his all too truthful words) as he had not seen this year's group yet. The third member of their trio, Ed, was invariably included whether he really cared to spectate or not.

"Women do not cheer at sporting events to be appraised by anyone, especially you," Edd reminded his friend as they ascended the bleachers.

Eddy complained, "Well, I'm not gonna drool over stupid Shovel Chin like everyone else in this joint. I don't know why he needs you to come and watch him when he's the one filling up these damn bleachers every game. He isn't even the best player on the team."

"Quite true, Eddy," Edd nodded, because now that the school had convinced Rolf to join, he occupied the MVP spot.

Finally pitching into the conversation, Ed motioned to an empty space, "Let's just sit, guys. We missed the first quarter." He plopped right down, giant hand simultaneously burying itself in his bag of popcorn. His two friends took a seat on either side of him, almost crowding him, but then again, the Eds had always been very close. In their childhood, they often literally piled on top of one another when watching TV.

"Are you going to share that?" Edd and Eddy inquired in unison, ogling Ed's snack.

"Of course!" he raised his voice over the the squeaking of soles as someone pivoted on the newly waxed floor.

Within a few minutes, Eddy had become entirely disinterested in the game and was living up to his word. He gawked at the cheerleaders, their bouncing ponytails, spinning skirts, and bare legs more than enough for him. Nazz led the basketball and football squad (her pompoms drove the crowd wild, what could she say?) with darling spirit. The short connoisseur of all things female made commentary about each of the girls to no one in particular. Money was still his true love, though.

Both Ed and Edd and were absorbed in the basketball game.

While it still stood true that Rolf was the star player of the team, being has he was randomly great at 3 pointers and by far the tallest student in the Peach Creek school district, Edd could not seem to take his attention off of Kevin.

Though he could hardly fathom it being regulation, Edd noticed Kevin was still allowed to don his backwards baseball cap. Beads of sweat rolled down the redhead's face, matting his hair against his forehead. His cheeks glowed pink, and he was breathing heavily through his mouth as he dribbled the ball, weaving in and out of the rival team's defenses. _I guess there is just something alluring about it, _Edd mused. A few points and a handful of whistle blows later, the buzzer sounded to indicate half-time.

Kevin wiped the perspiration his brow with his forearm then seamlessly locked Edd's gaze, grinning victoriously and throwing up a "rock on" gesture. He walked over to the water cooler, out of breath yet completely smug. Edd flashed a peace sign in return. He noted that the redhead did not scan the crowd even for a fraction of a second to find him, and during the entirety of the game, which he had spent observing the boy, the player had not taken his eyes off of the ball (metaphorically, as he had looked to other players, but still).

Before he could ruminate on the matter any longer, Ed announced to him, "Eddy left to go talk to the cheerleaders, but I want another snack. Will Double D come with me?"

Edd chuckled, "I would thrilled to, Ed."

The pair filed into the end of the concession stand line, chatting about the game when two petite hands grasped Edd's shoulders from behind. "Why are you here, Double D?" and it was that familiar, coquettish voice that matched plush red lips... Edd's cheeks were on fire.

Maybe because Nazz was a cheerleader and Eddy was tailing the cheerleaders, he also inserted himself into the conversation. "Box head over there," Eddy gestured to Kevin (who was hydrating himself and strategizing with Rolf), "asked Edd to watch his game if he passed the test. I have no idea why."

As much as he wanted to answer for himself and propose his theory for Kevin's strange request, it was their turn to order at the concession stand. The three Eds forgot about the conversation by the time they started making their way back to their seats, arms full of nachos, more popcorn, a slice of pizza or two, a few jawbreakers, and fountain sodas (boys will be boys, right?). They were just in time for the game to resume.

Edd consciously made an effort not to stare at Kevin for the remaining two quarters, but there was just this quality about the boy's aggressive playing style that lured him in and wouldn't let him go. Kevin was so, how could Edd put it, moist looking. Perspiring, panting. The boy was wet and filthy but his overconfident smile-turned-grimace every time he got into a heated situation was beguiling, and Edd didn't understand why. Discomforted by this, the Edd rounded up the other Eds and slipped out the door the moment the game ended (in Peach Creek's victory, of course)


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** First off, I want to thank everyone for the favorites, follows, and reviews. It makes me super happy, haha! And I am sorry for the cliché party set up, but I couldn't think of a better way to get this going. I also edited chapter 7 and re-uploaded it. Since I am not sure if I can reach the fluff part by tonight, I am going to post what I can for now. I can't wait for the drama that is coming right up!

* * *

Two weeks after the basketball game when winter break was beginning, word circulated that Nazz would be throwing a Christmas party that weekend. Being the angel she was, she invited practically everyone, and those she did not explicitly invite, she would not shun. Like years before, when all the kids of the cul-de-sac would go to Nazz's house for one gathering or another, the Eds were never asked to come (and no one actually wanted them to). When they did turn up at the door, the tiny blonde wouldn't kick them to the curb.

History repeated itself. The three Eds assembled on Nazz's welcome mat fashionably late. Eddy wore a fresh polo, jeans cut in an unflattering manner, and tacky sunglasses, despite the late hour and lack of sun. His hair was gelled flat to his scalp so that it appeared greasy and, frankly, unattractive. Unsurprisingly, Ed wore his daily attire – a striped shirt, jeans, and army jacket. Edd would be the only one of the three whose fashion sense improved, well, aside from his black beanie. That night he had chosen fitted black jeans and an ironically kitschy holiday tie to go with his crimson sweater.

"Hey, boys!" Nazz sparkled when she answered the door. All three of them couldn't help but notice her skimpy Miss Claus costume of red velveteen and faux fur. "Come on in," and she grabbed Edd, who was closest to her, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Watch out for mistletoe," she added, motioning to some which hung in the doorway above them. She skipped off back to her party before Eddy could interject and claim his kiss.

Edd, who had danced with Nazz and been kissed by her (albeit only on the cheek) at least a few times in the past, was embarrassed by the gesture nonetheless. He tugged at his hat shyly, stepping into her house with Eddy (who was vocalizing how he should have been standing closest to the door) and Ed right behind him. For the first hour, the Eds floated around the party, having fun amongst themselves despite most guests excluding and snubbing them. The party happened to be a dry one as well, so there was no liquor to loosen anyone up.

At some point, Sarah (dressed as a reindeer) began to summon all the guests to the middle of the living room. In that grating voice of hers, she cawed, "Listen up guys, it's time for a little game of Never Have I Ever! If you don't know what that game is, it goes like this: we all sit in a circle. Someone starts of by saying, 'never have I ever' and completes the phrase with something they have or haven't done. People who have never done whatever-it-is put a thumbs up. If you've done it, you put a thumbs down. If you're in the minority, and this can be thumbs up or down, you have to remove one article of clothing. That's how we're playing it today, 'cause there's no alcohol. The goal is to embarrass people by getting them naked and seeing who has done what."

The attendees reacted with varying degrees of disinterest, but Nazz expressed her earnest desire to play, and she had the least amount of clothing to lose before being stark naked. Everyone finally complied and sat in a big circle on the floor by their friends. The Eds were together; then Sarah and Jimmy; Nazz was by Rolf, Kevin, and Nat; and so on.

Since Sarah propositioned the game, she elected herself to start off. "Never have I ever been involved in scamming the people of this room!" she yelled, vindictive and essentially choosing this game's targets. Everyone's thumbs pointed upward save for the three Eds.

"That's not fair, Sarah, you stupid brat," Eddy challenged her, but he removed his shoes. He would have to settle for revenge. Ed removed his jacket while Double D slipped off his sneakers.

Jimmy, up next, sought to please Sarah, so, "Never have I ever worn sunglasses at night _and_ indoors." This time, all thumbs were up except for Eddy, Jonny, and Nat. People laughed as Eddy threw his sunglasses down emphatically. Jonny shrugged off his hoodie. Predictably, Nat freed himself of his sweater and went ahead to unbutton his shirt.

Being diplomatic, Nazz took a moment to pick a good one when it came to her turn. Her eyes, accentuated by her expertly applied makeup, shifted to the side, her index finger touching her jawline in thought. "We have to make this interesting," she smiled, "so... Never have I ever kissed someone of the same gender on the lips!" The blonde playfully threw out her thumbs down.

"I like where this is going, girl," Nat leered, winking at Kevin. The redhead pretended not to notice.

Sarah, Rolf, Jonny, Jimmy, and the majority of the other party-goers indicated that they had never kissed someone of the same sex. The three Eds, Nat, and Kevin all attested that they had partaken in a homosexual locking of lips. No one was surprised over Jimmy or Nat, and everyone had known that the Eds had been dared to kiss each other before, but Kevin shocked them all. The two glanced at each other, not expecting their ex to be a little deviant. Kevin reddened furiously, avoiding everyone's eyes except a certain person's.

_Why does he persist in directing his eyes towards me? _Edd pondered, taking off his sweater and neatly folding it next to him. Kevin read his confusion, deducing that Edd truly had not remembered their brief encounter (both to his dismay and relief).

"Would you look at that, Shovel Chin and his best buddy Turf Head are gay!" Eddy sneered, crossing his arms.

Nat cocked a brow, "Don't hate me 'cause I'm fabulous, kiddo. You should be the one taking cosmetic tips from me." The party almost had a laugh at Eddy's expense, but the redhead snapped, fighting his own mortification.

"Shut up, dorky. It's my turn. I wonder how much I should embarrass your stupid ass!" Nat elbowed his best friend, whispering something in his ear afterward. Kevin wore an expression of indecision for a long moment then crudely announced, "Never have I ever fucked somebody." With a complacent grin, he showed thumbs down. Only Nat, Nazz, maybe two other kids, and Edd gave the same sign. Everyone else attested virginity.

Upon noticing his friend's answer, Eddy bounced to his feet. "Double D!? I had no idea! What? You never told me! I can't believe this," he howled. His friend didn't answer beyond pulling his hat over his face which was flushed scarlet.

"You have a girlfriend, Double D?" Ed inquired, confused.

"No," Edd squeaked before suggesting, "Just resume the game."

Concurrently, Kevin's stomach flipped. A sudden unease set his chest on fire. What exactly has that double dweeb been hiding?


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:**Well, looks like I was able to post this tonight after all. I hope you enjoy the tension. Poor Kevin is so frustrated. I am probably going to do the one shot before the next chapter.

* * *

"Plank told you all that Double D is a playboy," Jonny pointed out.

Whatever it was that was stirring in Kevin's chest was provoked by those words. The Double Dork was similar to himself when it came to girls – both boys were bashful and prone to enchantment by even a hint of feminine affection. However, a little thought to the past had elucidated a simple truth: every single girl in the room had, at one point, publicly displayed affection for the sockhead, and that very same sockhead had mirrored their advances in his own dorkish way. Kevin, despite all the attention he received for his athleticism, city-boy bad assery, and nonchalant disposition, had only fancied Nazz (though she was more than the equivalent of Edd in respect to the amount of people who crushed on her). The redhead was just as popular as Edd, so it didn't make sense that he would be envious over the other boy's recognition amongst the ladies. Was it possible that he was jealous for another reason?

"Dude, you're more embarrassed than the dork," Nat whispered to Kevin, patting him on the back.

Kevin's face was livid. "Shut up," he grumbled in a volume audible only to his green-haired friend (aw, poor guy was caught).

It was Rolf's turn next, then came the few kids from school, the Eds, and the cycle was beginning again. By now, everyone had removed, at minimum, their shoes, socks, and jackets. Obviously, everyone was opting to then take off accessories like ties and belts. Nat and Rolf had stripped down to his undergarments; Kevin, Ed, and the Double Dork were shirtless, and seeing as Nazz was wearing less to begin with, she was one step away from being in her underwear as well.

"If everyone would excuse me, I must go to the restroom," Edd, polite and mannerly, got to his feet. He just needed a reason to extract himself from a room full of half-naked teenagers (oh, how desirous were the young and the loveless). So after splashing his face with some cold water in the sink and compulsively washing his hands, he was not expecting to open the bathroom door and find one of his barely clothed neighbors filling the threshold.

"Hello, Kevin. The restroom is all yours," he motioned to the bathroom, trying to step around the redhead and not stare at his flawlessly cut body.

_That's not what I came here for,_ the jock wanted to say but instead, "I was just wondering about something from earlier." He moved aside so that they could talk in the hallway instead of half in the bathroom.

Edd shoved a hand in his pocket, the other finding itself fiddling with the hem of his hat (what a cute nervous mannerism), "And what would that be?" He noticed his own pulse picking up in tempo, his skin feeling hot. His immediate conjecture was that Kevin's body heat, as he was standing unusually close and shirtless, was compounding with the warmth he was already creating.

"Uh," Kevin wanted to abort the mission. He couldn't bring himself to ask or justify why he wanted to know. "Uh..." he stammered yet managed to do so with belligerence (it seemed the boy had two modes: aloof or bellicose). As much as he could stare at Edd's magnetizing blue eyes, his perfect, long eyelashes, it was impossible to do when Edd was gazing back at him. The jock managed to spit one of the questions out (though he had no shortage of things he wanted to ask that dork), "Who did you sleep with?" _Why haven't you talked to me in two weeks? Why didn't you say anything to me after showing up at the basketball game? Why do I catch you staring at me all the time? _He rubbed the back of his neck, a fraction of the weight lifting off of his shoulders.

Disconcerted, Edd searched Kevin's face for any shadow of motive. He replied unhurriedly but firmly, "That is confidential knowledge."

"Please," and Kevin asked quietly (an impressive tension was charging in that small, dark hallway).

"Would you humor me, then? Why is my sex life of concern to you?" his heart palpitated, threatening to burst from his chest. Despite his anxiety, or perhaps because of it, he endured mere centimeters from his childhood friend, his lungs filling with the same air that had just escaped the redhead's lips.

Kevin was more than a little unnerved himself under Edd's scrutiny. Years ago, he was far from tall, but since his growth spurt in the 8th grade, he stood above most. The intellectual sockhead, dwarfed only by Rolf and Ed, was a peer Kevin used to literally (and maybe figuratively, too, but that's a secret) look up to. Now the dork was slightly shorter, almost _perfect_ly at eye-level. "Curious is all." Their breaths were close enough to mingle, and he felt challenged. Was this becoming a game? Kevin hated to lose.

Frankly, Edd could have told Kevin that his sexual encounters were limited to one girl and actually a singular event. It would not have been a staggering reveal to say this girl was Marie Kanker, his long-time admirer. But Edd respected Marie, who had relocated to the opposite side of the country a year before with her sisters. So Edd steered the conversation in another direction. "If I may comment on what you shared during that game, I had suspected you to be much more hetero-normative," Edd offered, his voice softer than usual, "And recalling two weeks ago and your shift in demeanor that seems to be exclusive to me, I would almost surmise you are flirting with me." (Please let this diversion work.)

"I am not flirting with you, dork! How do you get off coming up with things like that?" Kevin stumbled over his own words, his defensive tone juxtaposed against Edd's. And if only the kid knew that Kevin had been less than hetero-normative with him.

Edd, versed in courtesy and learned in propriety, knew how he should handle the boy before him, rambunctious as they come, who challenged him with a sharp tongue (and a perfect, sharp white smile). On the other hand, Edd also had a cheeky tendencies. "Perhaps I would not mind if you were," he added auspiciously.

Kevin's jaw dropped, inarticulate.

Lest the rest of the party wonder what was going on in the bathroom, Edd retreated, hurrying back to the living room without any further commentary. The two boys shared a single question which purged their minds of all other thoughts: _Just what the hell is going on?_


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: **I posted a one-shot titled "I Will Come Back For You" which is relevant, but not necessary, to this story. Read if you'd like. I've been having a bit of a writer's block, though, so this chapter isn't up to par, but at least it's advancing the story, right? Once again, Nat belongs to c2ndy2c1d.

* * *

To avoid suspicion, Kevin waited a few minutes before following Edd back to the party. The game had dispersed by that time, though, so no one save Nat took notice of Kevin's return. In fact, the whole gathering dissolved quickly from that point, so the two boys helped Nazz clean up before they retired to Kevin's house.

"Night, babe," Kevin waved at Nazz faintly, not even looking in her general direction, something clearly wrecking his mind.

Nat chimed in with a wink, "Thanks for inviting me. See ya around, Nazz."

"Goodnight, boys. Don't stay up too late making out," she teased, of course. Her thus-far unexplained anger had not subsided, but she concealed it. She figured that Kevin would divulge the truth behind his recent odd behavior to Nat, and from Nat she would extract what she needed to know. The blonde closed her front door softly.

Outside, Kevin and Nat made their way to Kevin's place, both of them with their hands deep in their coat pockets, shivering at the low temperatures.

"Dude, I think it's snowing!" Nat said excitedly. He squinted at the sky to confirm the weather. "Yo, it is! Snow!" Because let's be real, _everyone_ is wild over the first snow. Well, unless they're preoccupied with something way too deep or important, and Nat knew this. "_Kev,_" he groaned, yanking his best friend's arm. "What's on your mind?"

The redhead stopped mid-step, pivoting to Nat. A dusting of fluffy white snow collected on the top of his hat and shoulders. "You were right. I think he likes me. Maybe. What should I do now? Am I supposed to ask him out? Tell him I like him? Christmas is coming up. Do I get him a present?" Kevin's tone morphed from quietly elated to full-fledged panic. It was uncommon for him to get worked up like this, but it did happen on occasion.

"Good, 'cause I ship it," the other boy said matter-of-factly under his breath, arms crossed.

"Wait, what?"

Nat shook his head. "Oh, nothing. Anyway, maybe get him a tie or like a book," he smirked.

* * *

The following morning, Double D decided to stop by the bookstore before meeting up with Ed and Eddy, even though he mostly ordered his books online. The snow had given him an auspicious feeling that he would procure a hidden gem from those bursting shelves. He was drawn to the animals and nature aisle first, but as soon as he extracted a book and opened its freshly printed, crisp pages, someone backed into him, pushing him into the bookshelf. Luckily, it didn't tip over, and only a few books from the top shelf were knocked out of place (and fell on Edd's head).

"Are you okay?" his accidental assailant helped Edd back to his feet by lifting him up from under his arms quite effortlessly.

Edd brushed himself off, about to answer, but peered up to the clumsy offender instead. He sounded familiar. "What are you doing here, Nathan? This is a bookstore."

"I can read, okay? Should I be offended that you think it's weird that I'm in a bookstore?" Nat sassed, albeit jokingly. "Anyways, I gotta go," he shushed Edd and scampered off to warn Kevin a few aisles down. Just as he was about to inform Kevin that it might be wise to check out already, Edd approached them.

"Kevin, are you here to procure literature as well?" the giggled, explaining, "I thought it was strange that Nathan be at a bookstore, but you too? By the way, is that the North American entomology compendium?" (Of course the dork would notice a bug book.)

The redhead shut the large book immediately. "Bookstores aren't just for dorks like you," he grumbled. "Me and Nat were just leaving, though. Gotta eat lunch and shit." He rolled his eyes then kept them off of Edd (God, he looked adorable in that puffy coat and muffler).

"Well, if you are heading home, would you be opposed to walking back together?" Edd had just arrived at the bookstore, but he made the proposal regardless. He was going to go to Eddy's house after wards, anyway, which was right next to Kevin's.

"I guess so," Kevin shrugged, acting as if he wasn't elated.

When they left the store, Nat conveniently invented a reason to leave the two alone (homework, chores, or something so urgent like that for the first day of winter break). It was only a couple of blocks to the cul-de-sac, but when Nat skipped away, both Kevin and Edd suddenly felt that they had a whole marathon before them.

"Snow is a really complex form of precipitation," Edd offered the weather, of all cliché things, to talk about.

Kevin threw a sidelong glance to the dork. "Isn't it just frozen rain?"

"In a way, yes, but they are so much more beautiful than that. When water droplets freeze, they form hexagonal crystals from which 'branches,' in a fractal pattern, grow as more water vapor freezes and attaches to the original crystal. However, not all snowflakes are symmetrical," Double D embarked on a lecture about snow, fractals, and the romance of it all. He became rather animated, smiling his infectious gap-toothed smile with his cheeks flushed from the cold. "You see, nature is so elegant and mathematical –"

"Dweeb," and Kevin couldn't help but smile, grabbing a scoop of powdery snow off of a railing they passed. "Is this elegant and mathematical?" He grabbed the Edd's hood, pulling it back and dropping his handful of snow into Edd's shirt.

Edd squeaked, spinning around, half laughing and half agonized, "Kevin! What is your motive?" He shoved his his mitten hands into a snowbank and unleashed a miniature flurry on his companion.

"You want to fight me, huh?" Kevin grinned, grabbing a fistful of snow and finding refuge behind a tree just a few feet away. He sculpted a less-than-spherical shape and pitched it, with success, into Edd's chest.

"That is not honorable! I do not approve of your guerrilla tactics," and Edd ran (with rather unathletic form) towards Kevin, pushing him into the snowbank. The smaller boy, giggling softly, pinned his friend down and brushed some surrounding snow onto his face. "I win. You are blessed that I do not have access to any tools. I could easily fashion a snowball tossing machine that would completely annihilate – "

"No, I win," Kevin murmured, slipping an arm around Edd's waist and pulling him completely on top of him. "You want me to flirt with you?" he reminded the boy, blushing at his own forwardness.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: **This is super short, but I wanted to give you guys something, since I haven't posted in a few days, and I might not get the opportunity to for a few more. So take this tiny fluffy thing.

* * *

"You are rather imprudent," Double Dee murmured, out of breath, allowing himself to linger on top of Kevin for seconds that stretched to an eternity. He panted softly, having just sprinted to tackle his friend (but Kevin was breathing heavily, too). Despite their heavy winter coats, he could swear that Kevin's accelerated heart was pounding under him. Logic and data built right angles and unraveled algorithms in his mind, but he could not compute these situations lately. He could not help himself but to study the redhead's features. Those petulant green eyes. That perfect curve of his freckled nose and his distinctly strong jaw. The inviting angle of that ephemeral, reserved smile.

Kevin could only grin sheepishly then release Edd. He could sense the blood rush to his cheeks when his eyes accidentally stumbled upon Edd's lips (God, how he just wanted to kiss that dork). "Don't think I forgot," he added, regaining his satisfied and aloof composure, "so answer me when I text you. How else can I win you over?"

Unable to be in such close proximity to Kevin without melting the snow, Edd stood up. "Was that your intention all along?" he inquired dubiously, extending his hand to help the other boy up.

"Probably was," the redhead admitted, and they resumed their walk. He wanted to ask if they should just skip the texting bullshit and go on a date, but instead he spent the entirety of the walk to Eddy's house wishing he had the nerve. Edd, actually marginally less shy, still failed to conjure up a topic. It seemed like their time together was becoming a litany of awkward moments.

When they came up to Eddy's place, Kevin waved goodbye unceremoniously as Edd disappeared into the house.


	12. Chapter 12

For whatever reasons, Edd and Kevin had not run into each other since their snowball fight, but they had been texting incessantly. The past few days for Kevin had begun with a good morning text and ended with goodnight text from his adorkable crush. He had discovered many things about Edd that he had never known before, mostly endearing little habits or cute stories from childhood (though, sadly, the dork had yet to reveal anything about the girl he had been involved with), but also the sad disclosure that Edd's parents would not be spending Christmas with him, which apparently had happened twice before. The previous times, Edd had been invited over to Ed's house once and Eddy's another, but coincidentally, both were also out of town visiting relatives this holiday season.

Kevin was to celebrate Christmas with his family. They generally just had a feast of a dinner and then opened presents afterward, which had been torturous when Kevin was younger, because he could never wait until the evening to get his gifts. Years ago, they would attend a Christmas mass in the morning, but that tradition had faded. Whenever there was a white Christmas, he would spend the hours in between church and dinner participating in various wintry activities with Nazz and Rolf (and usually Sarah, Jimmy, and the others would join). Since there was plenty of snow that year, Nazz had called him Christmas eve to confirm a neighborly snowman building contest, but Kevin made a polite excuse.

All the avoiding he had been doing and all that texting culminated to Christmas morning. At 9 AM, give or take a few, Kevin mustered all the courage he could. After showering and dousing himself in cologne (more than enough, one could say), he found himself nervously lingering on Edd's front steps. After an exhausting couple of minutes debating whether or not his decision was a good one, he finally rang the doorbell.

Edd opened the door promptly, already dressed for the day in a red argyle sweater and complimentary dark green trousers. "Merry Christmas. Should you not be celebrating with your family or Nazz and Rolf?" his voice wavered nearly imperceptibly.

Shy as usual, after ringing the doorbell, Kevin faced the street, a hand deep in his pocket and a cigarette in the other. "Merry Christmas, Double Dee," he coughed, turning around to Edd (smiling at how Kevin addressed him by something other than dork or dweeb) and then crushing his cigarette butt on the stairs. "I don't know where you want me to throw that, so I'll take it when I leave, 'kay?" and he was unbearably awkward. "And I'll be with my folks later. My morning is all yours."

"That is unnecessa – "

"So, I know you're a great cook, and I'm hungry," Kevin was well aware that it would be futile for him to attempt reasoning with Edd, so he invited himself in.

A pale, feminine hand stayed him, though. "You must wear these if you want to come inside," Edd smiled, somewhat vulpine, and produced a fluffy white pair of bunny slippers from seemingly nowhere.

"I get the feeling you aren't kidding," the redhead squinted as if it would help him discern if Edd was joking or not.

"I am completely serious," and Edd gestured to Kevin's wet, less-than-spotless boots.

Sighing, (the things he would do for that kid) Kevin unlaced his boots in the doorway and slid on the new embarrassing footwear. "Happy? Can I come in now?"

The dork giggled and motioned for his guest to enter. It would be safe to assume Kevin was hungry, as he walked immediately into the kitchen, helping himself to a bowl and a box of cereal from the cupboard.

"If you really are famished, I can prepare a more satisfying meal," Edd proposed, blocking the fridge door before Kevin could grab the milk. "Would pancakes appease you? I have ingredients for several variations, not confined to but including chocolate chip, banana, and blueberry." He slipped on his apron and began to gather the basic flour, milk, and so on. The apron was a girlish pale pink, and the waist ties only drew attention to Edd's equally effeminate waist. As a result, it became increasingly difficult for Kevin not to stare.

"Sounds choice. Whatever is easiest," Kevin disguised his excitement, shrugging and only giving a half-smile. He watched Edd scrupulously prepare the batter, his small, white hands moving with deft charm and his expression one of placid diligence. Just as Edd began to mix the contents of the bowl, Kevin surrendered to his friend's allure and slipped his arm around that tiny waist.

Edd jumped, startled but laughing awkwardly, "You surprised me." His entire face reddened, feeling Kevin's body pressed against his back.

"I like you, okay?" Kevin murmured, pressing a soft kiss on the nape of Edd's neck...

* * *

**author's note:** sorry, this is short...


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:**I'm not sure if I want to include more Nat, Nazz, Ed, and Eddy in this fic. I guess I should… Also, this is short because I will probably/hopefully update again this weekend.

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Double Dee flinched again, the unexpected brush of lips against his neck sending his heart reeling for stability. Kevin's arms around him were enough – the light embrace already melted his legs into knock-kneed uselessness. But was it Kevin's touch in particular, Edd wondered, that made him react this way? Or was he just yearning (in this tumultuous teenage heat that not even an intelligent, rational boy like Edd could avoid) to be held to the point that it didn't matter by whom? His mind a tangle of thoughts, he froze, only his lips parting to speak, "May I request to know why you harbor this attraction towards me?" His voice was muted and almost strained.

The other boy offered him a reply of sorts, but it did nothing to address the question. Tenderly, he slid the mixing spoon from Edd's hand and guided him, by the shoulder, to turn around so that they stood face-to-face. Kevin was uncommonly shy, his eyes targeting the middle of Edd's chest as he gripped the smaller boy's upper arms (and did he seem fragile now, more than ever before). "Why? It isn't okay?" asked, on the verge of inaudible and leaned in, tilting his face to meet Edd's mouth, yet he could not do more than that…

Unexpected, but not unwanted, Edd closed the gap between them, his lips grazing Kevin in a hasty moment of blood-rushing euphoria. The redhead stared when Edd pulled away, watching his blue-green eyes dart nervously to the side as he bit his lower lip (who would have known that the precious dork was such a coy flirt under those sweaters and ties). With that thought, Kevin bit the bullet; enamored by the offensive, yet nervous initiative the boy took, he pressed Edd back into the counter with a forceful kiss.

Kevin indulged in the dainty tenderness with which Edd replied, his lips softer than that of any girl. The athlete's hands, large and rough, clasped over each side of Edd's hips, wavering at first with timidity (because to honest, kissing a random chick is worlds different than making out with a secret crush) then gripping with boyish confidence. Without breaking away, he pushed aside the cooking materials and all too easily lifted the boy onto the countertop. His experience allowed him to fluently peel off the dorky sweater and unbutton the shirt underneath, noticing that Edd's movements became more demanding – more desirous and hungry as he dropped the clothing on the floor (which Edd would normally have killed to fold). Anticipating resistance to the disrobing, the redhead paused. "Are you sure?" he breathed heavily, looking up to Edd with unsettlingly defenseless eyes. Despite being the instigator, and a somewhat aggressive one at that, Kevin's expression displayed nothing but an attractive vulnerability.

All Edd did was nod before shutting his eyes and pulling his friend into another kiss, his demure tongue eliciting a soft moan from the boy…


End file.
